SPRING ARBOR, Mich. – For the second time this season, the Spring Arbor University softball team knocked off a Top 25 ranked opponent, defeating No. 8 Marian University 1-0 behind a complete game shutout by senior pitcher Emmalee Hamp.
 
Hamp, who improved to 17-6 in the circle on the season, limited the high-powered Marian offense to just three hits while striking out five batters.
 
Marian won game one, 3-0, to split Friday's doubleheader at the Cougar Softball Field.
 
 
THE BASICS
SCORES: Spring Arbor 0, (8) Marian 3
Spring Arbor 1, (8) Marian 0
LOCATION: Cougar Softball Field | Spring Arbor, Mich.
RECORDS: Spring Arbor 28-15 (20-10 CL), Marian 34-7 (22-5 CL)
 
 
GAME 1 HIGHLIGHTS

• Game one was a pitchers' duel between Spring Arbor's Elena Jones and Marian ace Olivia Stunkel.
• Jones and Stunkel combined for five shutout innings before the Marian offense was able to plate three unearned runs in the sixth.
• The Spring Arbor bats were held to four hits in the game.
• Jones pitched all seven innings and allowed just five hits while fanning four batters.

 
 
GAME 2 HIGHLIGHTS

• Offense was at a premium again in game two with the only run of the contest coming in the first inning. Hamp led off with a single up the middle and quickly advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Grace Lentz. Two batters later, with Hamp on third base and Maddy Thrush at first, the Cougars pulled off a delay steal allowing Hamp to cross the plate.
• That was all the run support Hamp would need. The senior pitcher would go on to blank the Knights over seven innings allowing just three hits and striking out five.
• The Cougars had eight hits with Elaina Walker and Payton Grange collecting two apiece.

 
 
UP NEXT
Spring Arbor hosts the University of Saint Francis on Saturday, Apr. 20 starting at 1 p.m. from the Cougar Softball Field.